Who better to educate your children than the person that cares about the person they will be when they grow up?
Who better to educate your children than the person that is concerned not just with their academic achievement, but also their character.
Who better to educate your children than someone who would research and commit weeks to finding just the right tools to help your children succeed?
Who better to educate your children than the person who knows them fully, their every mood, every cue, every weakness and strength?
Who better to educate your children than the person that will not move on until they understand or will move more quickly when the subject matter is easy?
Who better to educate your children than someone who can tailor the curriculum to fit their needs, their aptitude, their pace?
Who better to educate your children than the person who would prefer to see them succeed than have any other accomplishment in the world?
Teachers come and go. Years later, the teacher that seemed to love your child may not even remember his or her name. Yet, you will still be there...with an unquenchable desire for his or her best - with an unrelenting heart dedicated to seeing them reach their full potential and fulfill the dreams in their heart and walk in the great purpose God has for their lives.
You are God's chosen vessel to make certain your child walks the path for which they were created.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Without Vision...
How many times have you heard people say, "Oh! You homeschool! Wow. I've always wanted to do that...but I really couldn't."
Often, they give reasons that range from "I'm too impatient to I don't think I could do as good of a job as they do in school."
The fact is, with homeschooling, as with all great accomplishments, there is a principle at work that gives parents the ability to homeschool - VISION.
With everything we do, if we have a vision for the future, a far reaching goal, a greater purpose or plan, then we will set our nose to the grindstone and overcome the obstacles before us. In the pursuit of a great vision, there will always be rocky paths and difficulties to overcome - whether it's starting a new business, building a house or educating your children. However, those who are successful in their new business, in completing the home of their dreams or in graduating their children from high school, are the ones that kept their eyes and heart on the goal when they faced the inevitable trials that come with any great accomplishment.
If we focus on the temporal issues, if our thoughts are consumed with the means, rather than the overriding purpose for our labors, it will be easy to fall.
In the end, homeschooling produces mature, responsible adults that are better able to handle the pressures and academic load of college, careers, marriage and life. Homeschooled highschoolers are mature and adult-like - similar to John Quincy Adams, who graduated from law school at age 17, or George Washington, who at the age of 17 was the official survey for his county in Virginia and many others who never knew that they were "still a kid" when they were in their teens. Homeschooling allows our children to find their purpose early and pursue it with passion, excellence and catch a vision for their lives while most kids are worried about being popular, accepted or cool.
Homeschooling gives us the opportunity to pour Truth and the love of Jesus into their lives. Our children, in being around us day after day, will watch us and see how God intervenes in situations and circumstances - teaching them that, indeed, God is real - God is good and God delivers. They are given a Biblical Worldview as they learn of science, history and art from a God-centered, providential perspective. With a godly worldview - they will be world changers. Their light will shine brightly as their friends see them pray - and watch God work in their lives. They will be different than the world, not for their own sake, but for the sake of the world - to shine brightly, drawing others to Christ.
Don't lose the vision when your road leads to a large boulder that must be removed before you can go on. There are many ways to get the boulder out of the path - while you are working on it, keep your heart focused on the goal.
The word tells us that without vision, people cast off restraint; some translations even say, "perish". I know that without the vision I have for my children's future, I could have thrown in the towel many times. Yet, the comittment runs so deep that no matter how many times I've been in doubt, I've come out of the turmoil with an even stronger conviction that everything will, indeed, turn out for the good.
"Where there is no vision, the people are undisciplined." Proverbs 29:18
Often, they give reasons that range from "I'm too impatient to I don't think I could do as good of a job as they do in school."
The fact is, with homeschooling, as with all great accomplishments, there is a principle at work that gives parents the ability to homeschool - VISION.
With everything we do, if we have a vision for the future, a far reaching goal, a greater purpose or plan, then we will set our nose to the grindstone and overcome the obstacles before us. In the pursuit of a great vision, there will always be rocky paths and difficulties to overcome - whether it's starting a new business, building a house or educating your children. However, those who are successful in their new business, in completing the home of their dreams or in graduating their children from high school, are the ones that kept their eyes and heart on the goal when they faced the inevitable trials that come with any great accomplishment.
If we focus on the temporal issues, if our thoughts are consumed with the means, rather than the overriding purpose for our labors, it will be easy to fall.
In the end, homeschooling produces mature, responsible adults that are better able to handle the pressures and academic load of college, careers, marriage and life. Homeschooled highschoolers are mature and adult-like - similar to John Quincy Adams, who graduated from law school at age 17, or George Washington, who at the age of 17 was the official survey for his county in Virginia and many others who never knew that they were "still a kid" when they were in their teens. Homeschooling allows our children to find their purpose early and pursue it with passion, excellence and catch a vision for their lives while most kids are worried about being popular, accepted or cool.
Homeschooling gives us the opportunity to pour Truth and the love of Jesus into their lives. Our children, in being around us day after day, will watch us and see how God intervenes in situations and circumstances - teaching them that, indeed, God is real - God is good and God delivers. They are given a Biblical Worldview as they learn of science, history and art from a God-centered, providential perspective. With a godly worldview - they will be world changers. Their light will shine brightly as their friends see them pray - and watch God work in their lives. They will be different than the world, not for their own sake, but for the sake of the world - to shine brightly, drawing others to Christ.
Don't lose the vision when your road leads to a large boulder that must be removed before you can go on. There are many ways to get the boulder out of the path - while you are working on it, keep your heart focused on the goal.
The word tells us that without vision, people cast off restraint; some translations even say, "perish". I know that without the vision I have for my children's future, I could have thrown in the towel many times. Yet, the comittment runs so deep that no matter how many times I've been in doubt, I've come out of the turmoil with an even stronger conviction that everything will, indeed, turn out for the good.
"Where there is no vision, the people are undisciplined." Proverbs 29:18
Monday, September 24, 2007
Imparting Courage - Encouraging others
Hebrews 3 tells us to "Encourage one another daily." I believe we are told this because we really need daily encouragement. As the days wear on, we need someone to tell us:
"You can do it!"
"It's okay...God will use this circumstance and turn it for good."
"You are God's first choice for teaching your children; He will equip you." "God does not call the equipped, He equips the called...you were called by Him to homeschool your children."
It's so easy to get discouraged because we are human; we make mistakes; we sometimes do things the messy way, the wrong way. But, as Christians, we are always growing, learning and changing. This happens more quickly if we don't allow discouragement and despair to toss us into a pit.
It's easy to fall into a pit of discouragement if you don't have someone coming along side you, imparting courage to you as you make your way along the sometimes rocky, sometimes smooth homeschool trail.
If you feel like you are slipping into a pit, remember that sometimes we are lonely, sometimes we run into troubles, difficulties and challenges - this is the normal life. It's really what we believe about those difficulties that can keep us plugging along so that we can get to the smooth path again. We must believe that God has a good plan for us and wants the best for us and our children. He is on YOUR side (even though you are not everything you think you should be). He is for you.
The Word God spoke to the prophet Jeremiah is for us, as His children, today:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future."
If you feel you've already fell into that pit, let me encourage you with Psalm 40:
I waited patiently for the LORD;
He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
God wants to give you beauty for ashes, and a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61). So, get rid of that spirit of heaviness by praising Him today. Put on your favorite praise music and just begin praising Him - you'll find that a spirit of heaviness can't stand in the presence of praise and you'll begin to feel better. Believe that God wants to remove those rocks from your path, and wants to make your way smooth. Believe that God is for you. He really is. Though it may be tough right now, God always brings green pastures and still waters after the storm. You can rest in that truth.
I hope this encouraged you today.
"You can do it!"
"It's okay...God will use this circumstance and turn it for good."
"You are God's first choice for teaching your children; He will equip you." "God does not call the equipped, He equips the called...you were called by Him to homeschool your children."
It's so easy to get discouraged because we are human; we make mistakes; we sometimes do things the messy way, the wrong way. But, as Christians, we are always growing, learning and changing. This happens more quickly if we don't allow discouragement and despair to toss us into a pit.
It's easy to fall into a pit of discouragement if you don't have someone coming along side you, imparting courage to you as you make your way along the sometimes rocky, sometimes smooth homeschool trail.
If you feel like you are slipping into a pit, remember that sometimes we are lonely, sometimes we run into troubles, difficulties and challenges - this is the normal life. It's really what we believe about those difficulties that can keep us plugging along so that we can get to the smooth path again. We must believe that God has a good plan for us and wants the best for us and our children. He is on YOUR side (even though you are not everything you think you should be). He is for you.
The Word God spoke to the prophet Jeremiah is for us, as His children, today:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you, not to harm you, plans for a hope and a future."
If you feel you've already fell into that pit, let me encourage you with Psalm 40:
I waited patiently for the LORD;
He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
God wants to give you beauty for ashes, and a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61). So, get rid of that spirit of heaviness by praising Him today. Put on your favorite praise music and just begin praising Him - you'll find that a spirit of heaviness can't stand in the presence of praise and you'll begin to feel better. Believe that God wants to remove those rocks from your path, and wants to make your way smooth. Believe that God is for you. He really is. Though it may be tough right now, God always brings green pastures and still waters after the storm. You can rest in that truth.
I hope this encouraged you today.
Monday, September 17, 2007
You are a Great Mom
When I was a new mom, I often found myself comparing myself to other moms. Some were more playful, some more organized, others kept a meticulous house and their children looked like they should be on the cover of Children’s Wear Daily. It was discouraging to be around a mom that had some unique gift in mothering that I did not have. I let myself get caught up in feeling like a failure because I didn’t have that talent, gift, ability or personality.
Later, I came to realize that everyone has a unique gift in mothering. Though none of us are perfect, every one of us brings something special to the table. We all have an individual way of expressing our love and personality in parenting. Be encouraged because you are a great mom. You aren’t like every other mom, and maybe you’re not exactly what you want to be, but you are you, and that’s who God created you to be. He chose you for your children. You are the very one that He selected – and you will become even better as the years progress (just as your children will!).
I remember reading the book Stepping Heavenward and being especially encouraged by the passage where Elizabeth Prentiss reveals how astonished she was that her “perfect” mother had not always been perfect. All she knew was the mature, wonderful, godly woman that her mother was today. However, her mother confides to her that, as a young mother, she was quite selfish and unpleasant. This wonderful autobiography written as a fictional story blessed me tremendously. We do all grow and mature as parents. We are all a work in progress. I’m so glad I’m not the way I was when my kids were really young, and I’m especially grateful that they don’t remember the way I was.
Celebrate the mother that you are. You are a great mom, unlike any other mom. One day, our children will gather together and say, “Remember how mom used to always ________(fill in the blank)” or, “I loved it when mom _______________(fill in the blank), or “Whenever ____________it reminds me of how mom used to ___________.” How will your children fill in the blank?
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